Shuttle-changing mechanism for looms



(No Model.) 2Sheets-Sheet 1.

E.H'.RYON.,. SHUTTLE GHANGING MBGHANISM'FOR LOOMS.

No. 557,519. Patented Mar. 31, 1896.

ANDREW 'EGRAHAM. FHO'TO'LITHOVWASHING'I'DN. 0.0.

UNITED STATES PATENT ()EEIcE.

EPPA II. RYON, OF IVALTHAM, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNEASSIGNMENTS, TO THE NORTHROP LOOM COMPANY, OF IIOPE- DALE,MASSACHUSETTS.

SHUTTLE-CHANGING MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 557,519, dated March31, 1896.

Application filed June 11, 1895. Serial No. 552,375. (No model.)

all whom it may concern: it known that I, EPPA H. RYON, of \Val- "countyof Middlesex, State of Massa- 7 .15, have invented an Improvement intle-Changing Mechanism for Looms, of .h the following description, inconnection .1 the accompanying drawings, is a speci- .tElOD, likeletters and numerals on the draw- "s representing like parts.

is invention has for its object the proon of means for automaticallymaintainsupply of weft in a loom, which I ac- "sh, as herein providedfor, by substra new shuttle in the shuttle-box for nose filling threadis broken or exted while the loom is running, the latter tle beingejected as the new shuttle is tituted.

=ave herein shown a shuttle receiver or er, into which are placed anumber of tles which are to be fed when required the shuttle-box,mounted on and to move "WLL ll the lay and directly above theshuttlebox. As the lay of the loom may make a 2 5 large number ofstrokes a minute, the time for ejecting the shuttle whose fillingthreadis broken or exhausted and substituting in its place a fresh shuttlemust be necessarily very short, and I make the transferring mechanism,as well as the ejecting mechanism, direct and positive in its action andsubstantially simultaneous in operation, the shuttle-changing beingeffected on the forward stroke of the lay, so that the new shuttle is inthe shut- 3 5 tle-boX ready to be acted upon by the pickerstick as thelay goes back. The shuttlechanging mechanism is connected with thefilling or weft fork of the loom, of usual construction, as a means ofbringing said mech- 4o anism into action when a change of shuttle isrequired. The s11uttle-transferrer is shown as arock-shaft pivoted tothe movable back or gate of the shuttle-box and having at each end abent arm which swings inward and pro- 4 5 jects over the tip of thelowermost shuttle of the series in the hopper as the shuttle-gate beginsto rise, and as the latter rises to its fullest extent the rock-shaft isgiven a quick sudden turn, which depresses said arms, caring-up stroke.

ing one end of the hopper.

5o rying the engaged shuttle positively down into the shuttle-box as thegate is lowered. The shuttle-ejector is shown herein as a rockshaftmounted at the front of the shuttle-box and provided at or near its endswith depending fingers which normally enter recesses in the inner sideof the binder opposite to the shuttle-box gate, and just as the gate islifted sufliciently high to permit a shuttle to pass thereunder therock-shaft is partially turned with a sudden movement to throw the ejectin g-fingers inward against the shuttle then in the shuttle-box,throwing it out at the back of the box and then returning intoinoperative position as the new shuttle is moved into the shuttle-box bythe transferrer.

My invention is readily adapted to looms now in use with but littlechange, the majority of the operating parts being mounted on the hopper,so that the close attention of the operator is not necessary, it onlybeing required that the hopper be filled from time to time before it iscompletely exhausted, thus saving much labor to the attendant andincreasing the output of the loom, as no stoppage thereof is necessaryinchanging shuttles. 7 5

Other features of my invention will hereinaft-er appearin the detaileddescription of the embodiment of my invention herein shown.

Figure 1 is a right-hand end elevation of a sufficient portion of a loomto be understood with my invention embodied therein, the lay being shownat the end of its forward or beat- Fig. 2 is a rear side view of Fig. 3is a the mechanism shown in Fig. 1.

front elevation thereof, showing the hopper, 8 5

shuttle-binder, and the right-hand end of the lay and breast-beam. Fig.at is a sectional view taken on the line :1: 00, Fig. 3, and lookingtoward the right. Fig. 5 is a detached inner side view of one of thebrackets form Fig. 6, on a larger scale, is an outer side view of one ofthe end supports for the shuttle-box gate with one of thetransferrer-arms in normal position; and Fig. 7 is a view of thetransferrer and ejector 5 devices and their actuating mechanism at theinstant that a shuttle has been ejected and a new one substituted, theother parts being omitted to avoid confusion.

The fran'iework A, breast-beam A, pickersticks A (only one being shownin Fig. 1,) the lay A layconnecting-rods A, the weftfork orfilling-detector F, slide-bar F, stand F and the weft-fork rock-shaft Aare and maybe all as usual, being substantially such as are contained inlooms for weaving cotton cloth, and form no part of my invention.

At one end of the lay A (herein shown as the right-hand end) the frontwall a of the shuttle-box is extended upward at some dis tance to formthe front of an open-top shuttle-hopper H, the ends thereof being formedby preferably metallic castings ta and a, one of which, as (LIX, isshown separately in Fig. 5 securely bolted to the lay A at 5 by suitablescrews or bolts. These castings form the ends also of the shuttle-box,the inner one, a having an opening a (see Fig. 1) for the passage of theshuttle as it is thrown through the shed.

The back of the hopper is formed by a plate a rigidly secured to thecastings a a and terminating above the top of the lay A a sufiieientdistance to permit the free passage thereunder of a shuttle at times.This open space at the back of the shuttle'box proper is normally closedby a gate of, adapted to be moved up and down, as will be described, topermit a shuttle to be ejected or to close the back of the shuttle-box.A binder b, of usual construction, is hinged at Z) (see Fig. 3) to thefront a of the shuttle-box, moving in a longitudinal slot therein forthat purpose, and connected by a strap or loop b to an arm Z2 fast on arock-shaft Z), mounted in suitable bearings b on the lay and providedwith a toe Z) for a purpose to be described, the shaft and attachedparts being normally retained in the position shown in Figs. 1 to 4,inclusive, by a spring 3, Figs. 2 and 3.

I have herein shown an ejector rock-shaft c mounted in bearings c in theends and above the binder b, at the front of the shuttle-box, andcollars c are secured 011 the rock-shaft 0, having ejector-fingersextended downwardly in recesses in the inner face of the binder b, saidfingers being located near the ends of a shuttle when in theshuttle-box. Normally the ejectors c are slightly within or flush withthe inner face of the binder, to offer no obstruction to the movement ofa shuttle in its throw. A short arm 0' is fast on the ejector rockshaftc, at its inner projecting end, connected by a link a to one arm of alever c pivoted on a stud e 011 the outer side of the end bracket a aspring 5' normally elevating the front end of the lever and retainingthe ejectors c in inoperative position. The rear end of the lover a hasthereon an inturned lug or projection 0 which normally projects over andrests upon the inclined edge 10 of the end bracket a with its inner endin the path of movement of one of a pair of like arms (1, whose hubs dare secured to a lifter rock-shaft cl, mounted in bearin gs in therearwardly-extended portions of the end brackets a (U said liftershaft(Z being normally held with the arms d depressed by a spring 3 Fig. 2.The ends of the arms d are notched at d (best shown in Fig. 7) topartially embrace journal-lugs 61 secured to the outer side of theshuttle-box gate a and shown in full lines only in Fig. 2, so thatelevation or depression of the arms (1' will positively raise or lowerthe said gate.

At each end the gate a is attached to a casting 00', one of which isshown separately and enlarged in Fig. (5, in a recess a in its innerface, the castings having on their outer faces inclined and preferablyV-shaped guide ribs ca to enter similarly-shaped and upwardly andinwardly inclined grooves a in the inner faces of the end brackets a anda, whereby when the gate a is raised it will be also moved rearwardslightly, the better to clear the shuttle then to be moved into theshuttle-box.

As the arms (1 are moved upward, lifting the gate a one of them acts onthe lug c of the lever 0, raising it quickly and depressing its frontend, and by means of the link 0 and arm 0 the shaft 0 is sharplyandrapidly rocked to throw the ejectors a into the shuttle-box toimpinge against and eject the shuttle then in front of the gate-openingout through the opening at the back of the lay, where it may be caughtin any convenient receptacle provided therefor.

It is now proper to describe the shuttletransferring devices forpositively moving into the place of the ejected shuttle a new shuttlefrom the supply in the hopper ll.

Bearings e are secured to either the castings a or to the gate a for arock-shaft e, one end of which is bent in at e to rest upon the top orrace of the lay A when the gate a is lowered, the said rock-shaft havingthereon two transferrer-arms e bent over at e and slightly downturned attheir extremities, as at c (best shown in Figs. 6 and 7,) the arms beingso placed on the rock-shaft as to play in slots in the back plate a ofthe shuttlehopper and when thrown inward to project over the ends of thelowermost shuttle, as S, of the supply of shuttles in the hopper. Thisshuttle S is supported on the inturned ends of flat yielding metalplates 6*, preferably secured in recesses in the inner face of the fronta of the hopper, the inturned ends of the supports projecting under theshuttle near its ends and between the transferrers c". When the gate ais raised, the rock-shaft c and transferrers e are raised with it untilthe ends a of the latter pass up over the ends of the lowermost shuttleS, and as the shuttle S is ejected, as has been described, the inturnedend 0 of the transferrer rock-shaft e impinges against a block a",preferably adjustably secured to the inner face of the end bracket a bya bolt 6 extended through a slot into the block. (See Fig. As the gatecontinues to rise the block acts upon the end 6 to partially rotate therock-shaft 6 forward, quickly throwing the transferrers e forward anddepressing the bent portions 8 thereof, carrying the shuttle S down pastthe spring-supports e The gate a is then lowered immediately by means tobe described and the transferrers carry the shuttle into the shuttle-boxin position to be thrown by the next forward movement of the pickerstickA and as the gate almost reaches its normal position the depressed end 6of the transferrer-shaft eocomes against the top of the lay and islifted, turning the rock-shaft 6 back and moving the transferrers intonormal position, Figs. 1 to 4, the next shuttle above in theshuttle-hopper II then resting on the yielding supports e I have hereinshown a forked or bifurcated arm f attached by a set-screw f to theinner projecting end of the gate-operatin g shaft d, to which isconnected by a pin or stud f the slotted extremity of a bent lever fpivoted on a stud f on a bracket f secured to the lay A as clearly shownin Figs. 1, 2, and at. Said lever f is extended below its fulcrum at fand is normally drawn toward the front of the loom by a strong spring 8attached at one end to the lever and at its other end to a stand f onthe lay, said spring 8 materially assisting the spring s in retainingthe gate a and the shuttle-transferring devices normally in inoperativeposition and returning them to such position after a transfer of ashuttle to the shuttle-box.

The extremity of the arm f is provided with a toe f at its front sideand a notch or shoulder f at its rear side, the former to be engaged attimes by the end of a dagger g, loosely pivoted at g in a stand g on theframe A of the loom, a spring-latch g being attached to the under sideof the dagger g to engage the shoulder f when the dagger engages the toef whereby the lever f is swung positively in either direction. An arm 12fast on the weft-fork shaft A is offset at Z) to project beneath andsupport the dagger g and to raise it into the position shown in Fig. 7when said shaft A is rocked by the usual weft-fork or filling-detector Fand intermediate devices on the failure of the weft or filling.

In Figs. 2 and 3the weft-fork or filling-detector F is shown in fulllines and in dotted lines, Fig. 4, of usual construction and of itselfforming no part of this invention.

WVhen the weft fails and the weft-fork shaft is so rocked, the dagger gis raised by the arm b into the path of movement of the leverarm f asthe lay moves forward, and as the end of the dagger engages the toe fthe lever f f is turned on its fulcrum to swing its upper end forward.This movement in turn, by means of the pivotally-connected arm f, rocksthe shaft cl to lift the arms 01, and the gate is thereby lifted, theshuttle S ejected, and the new shuttle S transferred to the shuttle-box.Then the arm b is raised, a lump b thereon engages. the depending toe I)on the binder-shaft b, rocking the latter to pull the binder I) outsufficiently to permit the new shuttle to readily enter the box. As thelay moves back the spring 8 tends'to pull the lever-arm f forward intonormal position; but should the spring fail to do this properly thespring-latch 9 remains in positive engagement with the notch f 8 untilthe return to normal position is effected, whereupon the latch slidesover the end of and releases the lever-arm f As the new shuttle isthrown through the shed the filling will act on the weft-fork inwell-known manner, and as the lay moves forward to beat up, the shaft Awill not be rocked and the various parts of the shuttle transferring andejecting devices will remain inoperative, and will so continue untilanother failure of the filling. The upper end of the lever-arm f isconnected to the arm f by a slot-and-pin connection in order to allowslight play between the parts and to prevent binding at the joint f.

An arm A (shown partly in full lines, Fig. 1, and in dotted lines, Fig.4) is secured to the rock-shaft A and is acted upon by the usualslide-bar (not shown) movable in the stand A Fig. 1, the weft-fork beingpivoted, as usual,'to the slide-bar, and inasmuch as the weft-fork,slide-bar, and cooperating devices are old and well known in ordinarylooms for weaving cotton cloth I have not deemed it necessary toillustrate them herein.

My invention can be readily applied to existing looms, to thereby renderthem automatic in the operation of'supplying the filling continuously.

IVhile I have shown the hopper H as adapted to hold three shuttles, itis obvious that by increasing the depth of the hopper the number ofshuttles can be increased.

Inasmuch as a new shuttle is positively moved from the hopper into theshuttle-box, there is no chance for the shuttle to partially orimproperly enter the box, and mispicks or smashes are thereby avoided.

The ejection of one shuttle and the transfer of a new shuttle ispractically instantaneous and no time is lost in the running of theloom.

I claim- 1. A loom containing the following instrumentalities, viz: alay, a filling-detector, a hopper mounted upon the lay, an ejector, atransferrer adjacent thereto, and actuating mechanism therefor, wherebywhen a fillingthread is broken or exhausted the faulty shuttle isejected and a new shuttle is engaged and moved by the transferrer intooperative position in the face of the ejected shuttle, substantially asdescribed.

2. A loom containing the following instrumentalities, viz: a lay havinga shuttle-box, ahopper mount-ed thereupon, a transferrer, and actuatingmechanism therefor, whereby when a change of filling is necessary thetransferrer is operated to positively engage and move a shuttle from thehopper into the shuttle-box, substantially as described.

A loom containing the following instrumentalities, viz: a lay having ashuttle-box, a hopper mounted thereupon, a rock-shaft havingtransferrer-arms attached thereto to enter the hopper and engage ashuttle and positively move the same into the shuttle-box, actuatingmechanism for said rock-shaft, and a dagger mounted on the loom-frame,to operate said mechanism 011 the forward stroke of the lay,substantially as described.

4. A loom containing the following instrumentalities, Viz: a lay havinga shuttle-box, a hopper mounted thereupon, yielding supports to sustainthe lowermost shuttle in the hopper, a rock-shaft havingtransferrer-arms attached thereto to engage and move the lowermostshuttle from said supports into the shuttle-box, mechanism to actuatethe rockshaft, and a dagger on the loom-frame to at times engage andoperate said mechanism on the forward stroke of the lay, substantiallyas described.

5. A loom containing the following instrumentalities, viz: a lay havinga shuttle-box, a sliding gate forming one side of said box, a rock-shaftlocated opposite the said gate and having attached depending fingers toact upon and eject a shuttle from the shuttle-box, means to open thegate, and connections be tween said gate and rock-shaft including alever operatively connected to the latter and in the path of movement ofthe means for openin g the gate, to partially rotate the rock-shaft andeject a shuttle when the gate is opened, substantially as described.

6. The lay and its shuttle-box, a gate for said box, a hopper mounted onand movable with the shuttle-box, and a binder, combined with ashuttle-transferrer and an ejector movable with the lay, means to opensaid gate, connections between the gate and the transferrer and ejector,to actuate them when the gate is opened, to eject a shuttle from the boxand to transfer a new shuttle from the hopper into the box from whichthe shuttle has been ejected, and an arm to throw the binder out as thenew shuttle is transferred, substantially as described.

7. The lay, a shuttle-box thereon having an open side, a sliding gatefor said open side, guides to direct the movement of the gate, arock-shaft mounted on the gate and having attached transferrer-arms,means to rock the shaft positively in opposite directions as the 9. Thelay having a shuttle-box, a hopper mounted thereupon a sliding gate forthe shuttle-box, a rock-shaft mounted upon said gate and provided withan inturned end, devices to engage the end of and turn said rockshaftwhen the gate is raised and lowered, and bent arms rigidly attached tosaid rockshaft, to engage the ends of a shuttle as the gate is liftedand positively move it into the shuttle-box as the gate is lowered,substantially as described.

10. A loom containing the following instrumentalities, viz: a lay havinga shuttle-box and a filling-supply hopper thereon, a transferrer and anejector, a gate for the shuttlebox, connections between it and thetransferrer and ejector, a lever to actuate the gate, a dagger pivotedon the frame, a spring-latch attached thereto, and a filling-detector tocontrol the dagger, whereby when a filling-thread is broken or exhaustedthe dagger and springlatch engage and positively move the lever intoabnormal position, to remove the faulty filling and provide a freshsupply, and thereafter positively restore the lever and cooperatingparts to normal position, substantially as described.

11. The combination with a lay having a shuttle-box provided with anopen passage in its rear side, a gate for said passage, and feedingdevices, including a superposed hopper having an open bottom and atransferrer, of a filling detector, a dagger controlled thereby, anejector, devices to operate it as the gate is raised, mechanism to openand close the gate and to operate the transferrcr, and anactuating-lever therefor operated by the dagger when a filling-thread isbroken or exhausted as the lay completes its forward stroke,substantially as described.

12. The lay having a shuttle-box thereon, a gate at one side of saidshuttle-box, and a binder at the other side, and a rock-shaft havingejecting fingers extended into the shuttle-box adjacent and normallywithin the plane of the binder, combined with devices to open the gateand actuate the ejectors upon failure or breakage of a filling-thread,sub stantially as described.

13: An organized loom containing the following instrumentalities, viz: alay, having a shuttle-box thereon provided with a shuttle-binder, ahopper superposed upon said shuttle-box, devices adapted to be movedover into engagement with and to positively transfer a shuttle from thehopper to the shuttlebox, and means to open the binder as the shuttle ismoved into the shuttle-box, sub stantially as described.

I11 testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

EPLPA ll. RYON. lVitnesses JOHN C. EDWARDS, AUGUSTA E. DEAN.

